Mining machine



J. M. TOWLER MINING MACHINE Jan. 20, 1953 2 SHEETDSSHEET- 1 Filed Feb.17, 1950 OW mm mm v3 Nmik I nventor:

[utow Attorneys Jan. 20, 1953 M, ow 2,626,139

MINING MACHINE Filed Feb. 17, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET-2 Attorneys PatentedJan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE MINING MACHINE gow, ScotlandApplication February 17, 1950, Serial N 144,745 In Great BritainNovember 10, 1947 8 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for mining coal or other mineral andbelonging to a previously proposed type having a large wedge-like cutterhead adapted, in the advance of the machine, to strip the mineral fromthe face of a mineral seam by splitting the mineral along a plane behindthe face. Where, as is usually desirable, the machine isdouble-ended-that is to say, is designed to work in each of its twodirections of travelthere are two such cutter heads.

In one previously proposed construction, the machine was to comprise tworelatively movable floor-engaging components which are propelledstep-by-step along the face of a mineral seam to be mined; jacking meanson at least one of said components for anchoring that component to themine; and a propulsion unit interconnecting said components in order topropel each of them a step forwards while the other is temporarilystationary.

In accordance with the present invention, a mining machine of the typestated comprises a frame carrying the cutter head or heads,cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus, extensible and contractibleroof-and fioor engageable jacking means to provide a temporarily fixedanchorage against which to apply the propulsion force, an anchorageassembly in which a component of the propulsion apparatus isincorporated and by which the jacking means is carried, the propulsionapparatus acting longitudinally between the anchorage assembly and theframe to advance them alternately, and guides on said frame forsupporting and guiding the anchorageassembly during each advancethereof. In operation of the machine, the jacking means is operated toanchor the anchorage assembly to the floor of the mine, the cylinder-andra-m apparatus is operated to propel the frame alongside the mineralface so that the cutter head makes a cut, the jacking means iscontracted to free itself from both the roof and floor, and saidapparatus is operated to advance said assembly freely along the guidesto take up a new position in readiness for the next cutting stroke.

Preferably, the propulsion apparatus includes a double-acting ramworking in a hydraulic cylind'er incorporated in the anchorage assembly,the ram having freedom of movement relative to the frame and beingapplicable at opposite ends to the ends of the frame so as'to exert onlya thrust or push thereon in either direction of action.

An example of a double-ended coal-mining machine according to theinvention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is anelevation of the machine and Fig. 2 is a plan.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a hydraulic jack and associated partsas viewed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the machine frame and the propulsionmeans, being a section approximately on the line 4-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail view to a larger scale, being a section on the line55 of Fig. 1.

The cutter heads are indicated generally by it and H respectively. Eachof these heads, in the example shown, comprises a leading cutter l2arranged at an intermediate level, two cutters i3 and [4 above thecutter l2, and a floor cutter assembly [5, all of them having cuttingedges working in approximately the same vertical plane A A, Fig. 2, andthey perform the main cutting operation on the coal. The vertical-planecut ting edges are indicated by 12A, I SA, MA and 55A, respectively.Each floor cutter assembly 15 has also got a horizontal edge I5B, theassembly being in the nature of a deflecting shovel for removing coalfrom the floor and for lifting and deflecting the coal sidewise to aconveyor (not shown). Each cutter head also includes a horizontal-edgedroof cutter assembly it.

Each head carrying these several cutters is a heavy structure jointed toan end wall E? or is of the frame of the mining machine.

Regarded generally, the mining machine consists of a heavy body, whichcomprises the aforesaid frame carrying the cutter heads IEl, H andcylinder-and-ram components 19 and 2H for propelling the frame, incombination with roof -andfioor-engaging jacking means 2!, 22 connectedwith the component 19 of the cylinder-and-ram apparatus to provide'atemporarily fixed anchorage or abutment against which to apply thepropulsion force. The propulsion cylinder is and the jacking meansconstitute an anchorage assembly. The frame includes, in addition to theendwalls I! and i8, two heavy horizontal bars 23 and 24 whichrigidlyinterconnect said end walls. The bar 23 is arranged at a low level andcloseto the inner sideo'f the machine; that is, the side which comesclose to the face of the coal seam, represented in Fig. 2 by the planeA'A. The bar 24 is arranged at an intermediate level and at the outerside of the machine. These bars 23, 25 constitute guides upon-which isslidably arranged a blocklike carriage indicated generally by 25. Thisblocklike carriage incorporates the cylinder component IQ of thecylinder-andram propulsion apparatus and carrie the cylinder component2| of the jacking means; that is to say, the carriage 25 carries thewhole of the propulsion apparatus and jacking means.

The cutter heads I and II are equipped with soles IDA and IArespectively which are slidable upon the mine floor and which assist thefloor cutter assemblies I5 to bear the entire weight of the machine.

In the example, the cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus is a singlehydraulic unit of which the cylinder I9 is double-acting, being arrangedin the carriage 25 longitudinally along the inner side of the machine.The ram 28 of the propulsion unit extends from both ends of the cylinderI9. The ram ends register with two buffers or abutments 26 on the endwalls I'i, I8 of the frame. The ram is very slightly shorter than thedistance between the abutments 25, so that there is provision for slightrelative longitudinal movement between the ram and the frame. Thus, whenthe ram is forced longitudinally in either direction relative to itscylinder I!) in the blocklike carriage 25, the ram and frame act like aunit which either advances relative to the temporarily stationarycarriage 25 or rests stationary whilst the carriage advances. The factthat the ram 26 is structurally disconnected from the frame gives theimportant practical advantage that any distortion of the frame due tothe very heavy work of the machine is not transmitted to the ram, whichis left free of bending and'torsional strains to work in its cylinderand to be subjected to purely longitudinal compression due to thrust inboth directions on the frame.

With reference to the jacking means 2|, 22, in the example this is ahydraulic jack, which is arranged vertically in the carriage 25 at theouter side of the machine. The jack is mounted in a casing or holder 2!incorporated in the structure of the carriage 25. The jack cylinder 2|is vertically slidable in the casing 2'! and is formed with apart-spherical enlargement 2 IA about the centre of which thejack istiltable in relation to the casing. The cylinder 2| and the piston ofthe piston-operated component 22 are doubleacting. The jack cylinder 2|has a heavy foot or base 23 adapted to engage the mine floor when thejack is extended and which presses upwards against pads 29 on theunderside of the casing 21 when the jack is fully contracted. Thepistonoperated component 22 has a head 33 adapted to engage the mineroof when the jack is fully extended and which rests upon facings 3| onthe casting 2? when the jack is contracted. Then the facings 3| bear theweight of the jack. The head 3|] is connected to the component 22 by auniversal joint 32, so that the head is freely tiltable, within limits,in all directions. The arrangement is such that the jack can accommodateitself to undulations in the roof or floor.

The jack cylinder 2| is freely turnable relative to the casing 27 aboutthe jack axis, which is indicated by a cross B in Fig. 2. Thus, when thejack is extended to engage the floor and roof, the machine is laterallypivotable about the axis B.

For the operation of the hydraulic cylinderand-piston units I9, 23 and2|, 22 constituting the propulsion and jacking means of the machine, anyappropriate hydraulic pumping plant is provided, such plant in theexample being carried by the carriage 25. The plant comprises anelectromotor-driven pump 33,'a tank 34 from which the pump draws thehydraulic liquid (namely oil) a manually operated control valve 35 fordirecting the hydraulic liquid to and from the appropriate ends of thecylinders is and 2| and appropriate piping 35 (Fig. 2). As Fig. 1 shows,the piping includes two flexible pipes 31, 38 communicating withopposite ends of the jack cylinder 2|. The hydraulic plant, being of anyconventional design, is shown more or less diagrammatically.

The leading cutter l2 of each of the cutter heads I3 and II isassociated with a pad 39, the face of the ped occupying the cuttingplane AA; that is to say, the pad is arranged to slide against the newlycut coal face during each cutting stroke of the head It or I I carryingit. Moreover, each leading cutter itself is angularly adjustablelaterally so that its setting relative to the associated pad 33 can beadjusted to regulate the cutting action. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, thecutter 2 is attached by a verticalpivot pin 33 to an arm ii projectingforwards from the head 50 (or II). Two adjustable grub screws 42extending through the cutter come against a facing 33 on the arm 4| andthus fix the angular setting of the cutter. A swing bolt 44 anchored tothe arm 4| passes through the cutter and serves to hold the screws 42hard against the facing 43.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assume that the machine asviewed in the drawings is to work towards the right; that is to say, thehead I I has to lead and act on the coal face Whereas the head I3 has totrail idly. Assume also that the carriage and jack 2| 22 are positionedas shown and that the hydraulic plant is in operation.

The first action of the machine is to thrust the head forward to performits cutting stroke. Accordingly, the control valve is manipulated sothat the jack 2|, 22 is extended. Thus, the jack cylinder 2| is forceddownwards until its foot 28 engages the floor, after which thepiston-operated component 22 rises until its head engages the roof, sothat the jack finally anchors itself and the carriage 25 between roofand floor. Next, the control valve is operated so that the ram 20 of thepropulsion unitis forced towards the right; that is, the propulsion unitis operated to push forwards the frame I1, I8, 23, 24. Thus a cuttingstroke is performed by the head II, the frame sliding upon the minefloor past the anchored jack and carriage. Next, thecontrol valve 35 isoperated so that the jack is operated to lower its head from the roofand lift its foot clear of the floor. The entire carriage 25andeverything carried by it are now supported by the frame clear abovethe mine floor. Finally, the control valve 35 is oper ated so that thepropulsion unit acts in the opposite direction so that its ram 20thrusts towards the left. This action causes the propulsion cylinder I9with the carriage 25 and jack 2 22 to slide forwards, free fromobstruction by the floor or roof, along the frame guides 23, 25 inreadiness for anchorage again.

When each cutting stroke is performed by the machine, the force of thestroke is directed in a plane from the central axis B of the jack to theapproximate place of application to the coal of the main cutter edges|2A-, |3A, |4A and |5A of the active head I In Fig. 2 the approximateplane of application is indicated by the arrow C, which is directed atan angle to the cutting plane AA. Throughout the cutting stroke, notonly does the frame I3, 23, 24 continue to slide past the anchored jack2|, 22, but as the stroke progresses the angularity of the line ofapplication C with the cutting plane A-A decreases slightly by virtue ofthe pivotal relationship of the frame to the jack. By virtue of theuniversal mounting at 2 IA of the jacking means, the frame is free tofollow undulations on the mine floor.

Thus it will be seen that, in the coal-mining machine described, thevertical roof-and-floor jack 2|, 22 is outwardly offset from andpivotally related to the longitudinal propulsion cylinderand-ram unitI9, 20 so that the inwardly inclined thrust from the ram towards thecoal face produces an inward cutting influence on the leading cutterhead II, which influence is restricted by the pressure pad 39 on thecutter head.

As Fig. 2 shows, the centre of the total jacking pressure represented bythe cross B is substantially offset outwards from the line of action ofthe propulsion ram 20, so much so that the approximate line of thrustrepresented by the arrow C is at an angle to the cutting plane AAreasonably great enough to obviate or substantially reduce any tendencyof the cutter head to work itself outwards from the face.

Moreover, the freedom of the frame to pivot about the anchorage at Bobviates or minimises bending stresses in the frame; but as alreadyexplained, any such bending or other stresses to which the frame may besubject are not communicated to the propulsion apparatus l 9, 20.

Patent application No. 144,763 having the same date as the presentapplication describes and shows a mining machine the same as that hereindescribed and shown in the accompanying drawings but claims an inventiondifferent from that hereinafter claimed.

1'. claim:

1. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a frame, a cutter head carried by said frame, a carriagewhich is guided and supported by said frame for movement along theframe, extensible and contractible roof-and-fioor engageable jackingmeans carried by said carriage to provide a temporarily fixed anchorageagainst which to apply machine propulsion force, cylinder-and-rampropulsion apparatus carried by said carriage, and ram ends included insaid apparatus and arranged for abutting but movable relationship withthe frame, said apparatus pushing through said ram ends against theframe in alternately opposite directions in order to advance the framewhile the carriage is anchored and to advance the carriage while it isfreed.

2. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a frame, a cutter head carried by said frame, a carriagewhich is guided and supported by said frame for movement along theframe, extensible and contractible roof-and-fioor engageable jackingmeans also carried by said carriage to provide a temporarily fixedanchorage against which to apply machine propulsion force, adouble-acting propulsion power cylinder carried by said carriage, and aram movable in both directions through said cylinder and extendingtherefrom in opposite directions so that its opposite ends are arrangedfor abutting but movable relationship with the frame, said ram endspushing against the frame in alternately opposite directions in order toadvance the frame while the carriage is anchored and to advance thecarriage while it is freed.

3. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a frame which supports itself at opposite ends on a minefloor, a cutter head incorporated in said frame, cylinder-and-rampropulsion apparatus, guides also incorporated in said frame, saidguides extending longitudinally between the opposite frame ends, acarriage which carries said apparatus and which is guided and supportedclear of the mine floor by said guides for movement along the frame,extensible and contractible roof-and-fioor engageable jacking means alsocarried by said carriage to provide a temporarily fixed anchorageagainst which said apparatus can apply machine propulsion force, theweight of said carriage, propulsion apparatus and jacking means beingtaken by said guides, and ram ends included in said apparatus andarranged to abut against the frame ends, said apparatus pushing throughsaid ram ends against the frame in alternately opposite directions inorder to advance the frame for the performance of a cutting stroke whilethe carriage is anchored and to advance the carriage while it is freed.

4. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a frame which supports itself at opposite ends on a minefloor, a cutter head incorporated in said frame, longitudinal guidesalso incorporated in said frame, a double-acting propulsion powercylinder, a carriage which carries said cylinder and which is guided andsupported by said guides for movement along the frame, extensible andcontractible roof-and-fioor engageable jacking means also carried bysaid carriage to provide a temporarily fixed anchorage against whichsaid cylinder can apply machine-propulsion force, and a ram movable inboth directions through said cylinder and extending therefrom inopposite directions so that its ends abut against the frame ends, theweight of said carriage, power cylinder, ram and jacking means beingtaken by said guides and said ram ends pushing against the frame inalternately opposite directions in order to advance the frame while thecarriage is anchored and to advance the carriage while it is freed.

v5. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a longitudinal frame, oppositely directed cutter headscarried by said frame at its opposite ends, a carriage which is guidedand supported by said frame for movement along the frame between itsends, extensible and contractible roof-and-fioor engageable jackingmeans also carried by said carriage to provide intermediate the ends ofthe frame a temporarily fixed anchorage against which to apply machinepropulsion force, cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus carried by saidcarriage, and ram ends included in said apparatus and arranged forabutting but movable relationship with the frame ends, said apparatuspushing through said ram ends against the frame ends in alternatelyopposite longitudinal directions in order to advance the frame in eitherof said directions while the carriage is anchored, so that a selectedone of the cutter heads effects a cutting stroke, and to advance thecarriage While it is freed.

6. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a longitudinal frame, oppositely directed cutter headscarried by said frame at its opposite ends, a carriage which is guidedand supported by said frame for movement along the frame, extensible andcontractible roof-and-floor engageable jacking means also carried bysaid carriage to provide intermediate the ends of the frame atemporarily fixed anchorage against which to apply machine propulsionforce, a double-acting propulsion power cylinder carried by saidcarriage, and a ram movable in both longitudinal directions through saidcylinder and extending therefrom in opposite longitudinal directions sothat its opposite ends are arranged for abutting but movablerelationship with the frame, said ram ends acting against the frame inalternately opposite longitudinal directions in order to advance theframe in either of said directions while the carriage is anchored, sothat a selected one of the cutter heads efiects a cutting stroke, and toadvance the carriage while it is freed.

7. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a longitudinal frame which supports itself at opposite endson a mine floor, oppositely directed cutter heads incorporated in saidframe at its opposite ends, cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus,guides also incorporated in said frame, said propulsion apparatus andguides being arranged to extend side-by-side longitudinally between theopposite frame ends, a carriage which carries said apparatus and inwhich is guided and supported clear of the mine floor by said guides formovement along the frame, extensible and contractible roofand-floorengageable jacking means also carried by said carriage to provideintermediate the ends of the frame a temporarily fixed anchorage againstwhich said apparatus can apply machine propulsion force, the weight ofsaid carriage, propulsion apparatus and jacking means being taken bysaid guides, ram ends included in said apparatus and arranged to abutagainst the frame ends, said apparatus pushing through said ram endsagainst the frame in alternately opposite longitudinal directions inorder to advance the frame in either of said directions for theperformance of a cutting stroke by a selected one of the cutter headswhile the carriage is anchored and to advance the carriage while it isfreed.

8. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type statedcomprising a longitudinal frame which supports itself at opposite endson a mine floor, oppositely directed cutter heads incorporated in saidframe at its opposite ends, longitudinal guides also incorporated insaid frame, a double-acting propulsion power cylinder, longitudinalguides also incorporated in said frame, a carriage which carries saidcylinder and which is guided and supported by said guides for movementalong the frame between its ends, extensible and contractibleroof-and-fioor engageable jacking means also carried by said carriage toprovide intermediate the ends of the frame a temporarily fixed anchorageagainst which said cylinder can apply machine-propulsion force, and aram movable in both longitudinal directions through said cylinder andextending therefrom in opposite longitudinal directions so that its endsabut against the frame ends, the weight of said carriage, powercylinder, ram and jacking means being taken by said guides and said ramends pushing against the frame in alternately opposite longitudinaldirections in order to advance the frame in either of said directionswhile the carriage is anchored, so that a selected one of the cutterheads effects a cutting stroke, and to advance the carriage While it isfreed,

JOHN MAURICE TOWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,704,866 Morgan Mar. 12, 19291,761,060 Van Slyke June 3, 1930 2,420,755 Mavor May 20, 1947

